Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-08-03
gres ana lakptaiaa
AN INDIAN MURDERER.

secured the country all over In pursuit
OF Handsome Elk. But the willy Indian
was on the lookout and the presence OF
q white man in the anterior of tn. In.
dian country was evidence to the fupi-
tive that he was wanted. Accordingly
he was able to get to the timber on
Medicine creek and eYade a contest with
the officer. After q tedious, hard trip.
Foster returned without hiB man, but az
fully determined as ever that the deg
perado should not escape o trial for his
crimes.
The Indian police were instructed 10
lay in wait for him end to take him deaa
If they could not accomplish the feat
otherwise. 1t is q we'll known fact that
not q man in the Sioux reservation was
willing to face Handsome Elk equal
handed. He is as quick, as lightning
with his trusty Winchester and rarely
was away from his feet-footed and tire
less horse. His house is at least sixty
miles from the agency, situated on an
eminence 30 as to command q view of
the country for miles. To approach his
castle without being seen was impossible,
The house ia built OF logs and is supplied
with loopholes on every side, while the
inside is q regular arsenal. Within
dwell his FIVE wives, for with all his
other bad qualities, Handsome Elk come
bines that of polygamy, and they are as
~!ferocions and warlike as the hastl OF the
Mormon harem, in which they dwell.
Fire Tunder is captain OF the police,
and among Others under him are Little
Grow, Black Elk, and Spotted Horse.
All are shrewd and brave men. They
determined to rid tie reservation OF the
presence of o desperate and have him
punished for his outrageous conduct,
Accordingly they quietly went into the
vicinity OF his abode and Little Grow
and Black Elk Invested themselves of
their uniforms and lcitered about for
sometime as il hunting. In due time
they could approach the presence OF
the man they were after. By methods
and articles known to the cunning red
man they succeeded in getting him
separated from his gun and horse. When
this was accomplished, Fire Thunder
and Spotted Horse suddenly appeared
n captured the horse and deadly Win
chester. When Handsome Elk dis
covered that his means of defense and
and light were captured he attempted
to de- on foot. but Black Elk who was
keeping him company seized him and in
an instant was joined by Little Grow.
Before the struggle had lasted two
minutes the other two policeman were
upon them and with cooked guns held
TO his head bade him hold his hands up
until tied, which was speedily done. They
lashed him to the tree with o picket rope
until o wagon WAS brought mp. into
winch, BY torce, they placed the ac-
cnsed and hurriedly transferred him to
Lower Brule agency. From there the
agent ordered him brought to Chamber
lam where he now reposes in an iron
cell. He will have O preliminary ex-
animation before u. s.. Commissioner
". Y. Morrow tomorrow. 1t is proper
to say here that the arrest was made
under 0 warrant issued by Commissioner
Morrow some weeks ago.
she crime charged against Handsome
Elk is that OF murder. The deed was
done over q year and a half ago. Among
the wives OF Mr.. H. Elk was the daughter
OF One Eye. She died and very soon
after MIR. II. Elk made love TO e younger
sister OF his deceased wife. Being q man
OF bad character and recognized as o dan.
gerous, iawiess person, One Eye decided
that he did not want him for q son-in.
law 9 second time. The Elk, however,
persisted in his suit and according TO the
custom among the Sioux he brought a
pony at night and tied il in front OF the
door OF One Eye. Mrs. One Rye was
more opposed to the suit then her bus
band and she turned the pony loose.
lf may be we'll to say here that had the
pony been found in the morning where
tied by Handsome Elk, it would have
been understood that his suit was go
cepted. Tho Eext night Handsome
Elk took three ponies and tied them IN
OF the home OF the girl he was
woolng, and as in the former case, Mrs,
One Eye turned the ponies loose, The
next night the persistent lover tied
eight ponies, and they were turned
away by the girls mother. The repeated
re1ectionB OF Handsome Elk's offer of
his hand stirred mp all the venom of his
savage nature, and he determined to be
revenged.
a few days af.erward One Eye went
3rom his house onto the common be-.
tween his own house and that OF Eik's
to take q pony off the picket line.
Handsome Eli. took his gun, and went
out to where the old mar was and DELHI
erate]y shot him to death. Noswith-
standing the pleaG:sgs of the aged man,
she savage fired several yolleys into his
body, then went to the house and
carried away by force the girl he had set
his heart upon.
Since that time he has lived apart from
the rest OF his people, q sort OF ON OUT
law, feared by many and respected by
none. His areer previous to the murder
OF One Ere was that Of q desperate. 1t
is said that he had killed three or four
other MOI before, and in g passion had
shot horses belonging to- those with whom
had qaarrelled. He is noted for his
ungovernabIe temper, revengeful dis
position and his settled determination
to have his OWN way in all things. He
IS q dead shot and is as quick aB q flash
with his gnn. In disposition he is Hullen.
secretive and full OF cunning. He is
about 80 years old and will weigh 14D
pounds.
The Indians are delighted with the
prospects that Handsome Elk will be
punished for the cowardly and brutal
murder Of an i~noffens:ye old man. They
want him tried, convicted and hanged,
The trial will be before Judge Trip
this county at the October term. The
trial will necessarily excite o good deal
interest among white people, because
the parties pushing the prosecution are
Indians, the witnesses will all be In
dlans and the friends Of the accused are